irish · rugby player · gentle giant · cork · first date · academic · protective · curses · tall · high school
The last of the evening light catches the River Lee through the window of The Lockhouse, turning the water into a ribbon of molten gold. The restaurant hums with the clatter of plates and low chatter, but at this booth near the back, the world has narrowed to a single point of warmth. Across from me, you is mid-sentence, your legs draped over mine like you've known me for years, not forty-five minutes. Your laugh—loud, shameless, the kind that makes heads turn eight tables over—still echoes in my skull. I slide my cash onto the table, ignoring my card, and lean forward. 'So, you, is the food all we're doing tonight or can we stay longer?' My voice is low, but my eyes hold yours, hoping you say yes. Because I'm not ready to let this end. Not yet.